Lap evener



J. T. TIICE 2,3093% LAP EVENER Filed Aug. 10, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l f l l I f INVENTGR ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT 'GFWQE LAP EVENER Application August 10,

Claims.

The invention relates to lap eveners for use in picker machines in textile manufacture and more especially to fluid pressure controlled lap eeveners.

The primary object of the invention is the pro- :vision of an appliance of this character, wherein a lap in apicker machine is placed under pres- -sure during the building of such lap so as to make the same uniform and avoiding splitting thereof as well as eliminating thick and thin areas .therein.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an appliance of this character, wherein a lap will be Wound evenly and without jerking action so that the material will be the same in weight during the building thereof per yard and at the same timeincreasing production and said material will be devoid of thick and thin areas.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an appliance of this character, wherein the same is automatic in the working thereof and is relieved of attention by an operator and assures the building of a lap evenly and without lcoseness in the formation of the same.

.A still further object of the invention is the provision of an appliance of this character, which is simple in its construction, thoroughly reliable and effective in its operation, convenient for application to a picker machine, automatic in the "working thereof, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, "combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose the preferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a lap evener constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation partly in section.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the same.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in thedrawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A designates generally an upright which is bolted or otherwise fixed to the picker machine, one at each side cheek thereof and is in the form of a post Ill having projected laterally therefrom close to itsupper end a bearing H supporting a cylinsa der II-which in turnsupports a tank l3 con- 1936, Serial No. 95,257

taining the liquid to be used in the appliance. Within the cylinder [2 is a piston i l, its stem l5 being guided through the bearing ll having the opening l3 therefor, and this stem is connected at its lower end with a head l'i carrying rolls i8 suitably journaled therein for engaging a lap pin (not shown) of the picker machine. The head I! is formed with a runner l9 engaging a guide track formed on the post l0.

Pivoted to the head i! is a rack bar 2| meshing with a rack pinion or gear 22, its shaft 23 being suitably journaled in the upright A at the upper end of the post above the bearing H and this shaft 23 at one end has fixed thereto a hand wheel 24 so that the said shaft can be manually turned and in this manner the head ll raised or lowered manually.

Formed in the bottom of the tank i3 is an opening 25 establishing communication between the said tank and the cylinder I2 and this opening is formed with a valve seat for a valve 26 having its rod 21 slidably fitted in a guiding barrel 28 formed with and depending from a bridge piece 29 extending across the upper open end 3!] of the tank 13 and fixed to opposite walls thereof. The rod 21 above the bridge piece29 is formed with a circular head 34! against which is fulcrumed a rocking lever or arm 32 pivoted at 33 in a mounting 34 therefor. The rod 2"! has sur rounding it a coiled expansion spring 35 which is seated against the bridge piece 2t and the head 3|, respectively, and is for the purpose of seating the valve 26 when relieved of pressure from the lever or arm 32 thereby shutting off communication between the cylinder l2 and the tank l3 through the opening 25.

Fixed to the head I! and guided through the bearing II is a shift rod 36 having at its upper end an adjustably connected striker 31 in which is loosely fitted a throw rod 38 slidable in a guide eye 39 fixed to the bottom of the tank l3 at one side thereof. This rod 38 at its upper end has fixedthereto a curved link ill provided with a curved slot M accommodating a slip pin 62 fixed in the outer end of the arm or lever 32 so that when the rod 38 has traveled upwardly a determined distance the lever or arm 32 will be rocked to accommodate the valve rod 2'! for unseating the valve 26. The rod 38 has adjustably fitted therewith spaced abutments in the form of collars 43 with which engages the striker 31 for imparting movement to the said rod 33 when the rod 36 is traveling with the head ll.

Rising from the bottom of the tank I3 and opening into the cylinder I2 is a pressure gage lead pipe 44 equipped with a pressure gage and a pressure regulating pipe 46 equipped with a hand operated valve 47 the pipe 46 being extended downwardly into the tank for a distance thereof. The valve 4'! is for the purpose of regulating the pressure gage 45 or the setting thereof for determined pounds pressure within the cylinder l2 and acting upon the piston I4 Working therein.

Leading from the cylinder I2 is a pressure relief 48 equipped with a relief valve 49 and a pressure return pipe 50, respectively, the latter depending into the tank I3. Thus the fluid flowing into the relief pipe 48 will be returned into the tank l3 and also any fluid bled from the pressure gage pipe 44 will be delivered into the said tank in the working of the appliance.

On the bridge piece 29 is a spring set pivotal latch 5| engageable with the arm or lever 32 when the same has depressed the valve rod 21 and unseated the valve 26 thereof so as to permit the fluid within the tank l3 to flow from the latter into the cylinder l2 when returning the .head I! to a normal position in engagement with the lap pin of the picker machine after removal of the lapped material from. the said machine.

It is, of course, understood that the lap builds up on the pin of the picker machine and during this building the head I! is caused to move upwardly so that the piston M is raised in the cylinder l2 and the liquid or fluid in the cylinder will resist this movement of the piston so that the lap is subjected to pressure which is applied by the rolls l8. This pressure is uniform, the gage 45 having been set for a determined pressure. When the piston |4 rises within the cylinder l2 to a determined height the valve 26 is automatically opened by the striker 31 engaging an abutment 43 on the rod 38 causing the tilting of the lever or arm 32 which depresses the rod 21 of the valve 26 unseating the latter from the opening 25. Any excess pressure above that regulated by the gage 45 will be relieved through the relief valve 49 during the building of the lap and a uniformity of pressure is assured through the setting of the gage 45 as hereinbefore stated, the valve 41 regulating the pressure. The latch 5! maintains the valve 26 open until the arm or lever 32 is tripped by the striker 31 when the piston is descending in the cylinder l2 and the head I! moving to normal position thereby enabling the filling of the cylinder l2 with fluid and when the striker 3'! exerts a pull upon the arm or lever 32 the latch 5| will be tripped and the spring 35 becomes active for the closing of said valve 26 thus shutting oiT communication between the cylinder l2 and the tank I3 and stopping flow of fluid into the said cylinder.

By operating the hand Wheel 24 the piston is lowered in the cylinder 12 and the head IT brought to normal position.

The appliance can be applied to any picker machine, breaker or scrutcher. It will prevent lap splitting and the occurrence of thick and thin places in the lap. It will give an average pressure without variation from the top to the bottom while the lap is being built, thus making laps more even in weight. It will make carding, spinning and Weaving easier to handle and will make more production by assuring even weights at the start at the picker room.

\Vhat is claimed is:

1. An appliance of the character described comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, a piston rod connected with the piston, a head connected with the piston rod, rollers on the head for engaging a lap, a fluid supply tank having communication with the cylinder, a valve in said communication, a pressure release pipe common to the cylinder and tank and having a relief valve, means for opening the first-mentioned valve when the piston rises to a determined point within the cylinder, means latching the firstmentioned valve in open position, and a pressure regulating device common to the said cylinder and said supply tank.

2. An appliance of the character described comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, a piston rod connected with the piston, a head connected with the piston rod, rollers on the head for engaging a lap, a fluid supply tank having communication with the cylinder, a valve in said communication, a pressure release pipe common to the cylinder and tank and having a relief valve, means for opening the first-mentioned valve when the piston rises to a determined point within the cylinder, means latching the firstmentioned valve in open position, a pressure regulating device common to the said cylinder and said supply tank, and manually operated means for the lowering of the piston within the cylinder and moving the head in normal position.

3. An appliance of the character described comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, a piston rod connected with the piston, a head connected with the piston rod, rollers on the head for engaging a lap, a fluid supply tank having communication with the cylinder, a valve in said communication, a pressure release pipe common to the cylinder and tank and having a relief valve, means for opening the first-mentioned valve when the piston rises to a determined point within the cylinder, means latching the firstmentioned valve in open position, a pressure regulating device common to the said cylinder and said supply tank, manually operated means for the lowering of the piston within the cylinder and moving the head in normal position, and means for closing the first-mentioned valve when unlatched.

4. An appliance of the character described comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, a piston rod connected with the piston, a head connected with the piston rod, rollers on the head for engaging a lap, a fluid supply tank having communication with the cylinder, a valve in said communication, a pressure release pipe common to the cylinder and tank and having a relief valve, means for opening the first-mentioned valve when the piston rises to a determined point within the cylinder, means latching the firstmentioned valve in open position, a pressure regulating device common to the said cylinder and said supply tank, manually operated means for the lowering of the piston within the cylinder and moving the head in normal position, means for closing the first-mentioned valve when unlatched, and means for guiding the head on movement of the piston.

5. An appliance of the character described comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, a piston rod connected with the piston, a head connected with the piston rod, rollers on the head for engaging a lap, a fiuid supply tank having communication with the cylinder, a valve in said communication, a pressure release pipe common to the cylinder and tank and having a relief valve, means for opening the first-mentioned and moving the head in normal position, means for closing the first-mentioned valve when uniatched, means for guiding the head on movement of the piston, and means for supporting the appliance in working position.

- JOHN T. TICE. 

